New Jersey Administrative Code
Title 3A - CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
Chapter 54 - MANUAL OF REQUIREMENTS FOR FAMILY CHILD CARE REGISTRATION
Subchapter 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
Section 3A:54-1.2 - Definitions
The following words and terms, when used in this chapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Alternate provider" means a person who shares child care responsibilities with a registered provider at the provider's residence and meets all applicable requirements, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:54-5 and 6.
"Approved caregiver" means a person at least 18 years of age who has met all applicable requirements for a substitute provider or an alternate provider, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:54-5 and 6.
"Certificate of Registration" means a document issued by a sponsoring organization to a family child care provider, acknowledging that the provider is in compliance with all applicable provisions of this chapter.
"Chapter" means the rules contained in the Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration, as specified in N.J.A.C. 3A:54, which reflect provisions that constitute minimum baseline requirements below which no family child care sponsoring organization or registered family child care provider that is subject to the authority of 30:5B-16 et seq. is legally permitted to operate.
"Child" means any person under 13 years of age.
"Denial of a Certificate of Registration" means a refusal by the sponsoring organization to issue an initial Certificate of Registration.
"Department" means the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.
"Developmentally appropriate" means an approach to caregiving that considers the cognitive, physical, and emotional needs of a child, in addition to the child's age.
"Distance learning" means education that takes place via electronic or digital media linking instructors and students who are not together in a classroom.
"Division" means the Division of Child Protection and Permanency, in the New Jersey Department of Children and Families.
"Evaluate" or "evaluation" means the review of a family child care provider by a sponsoring organization upon receipt of an application for a Certificate of Registration to determine the applicant's compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
"Family child care home" means the private residence of the family child care provider in which child care services are provided to no fewer than three and no more than five children at any one time for no fewer than 15 hours per week, except that the Department shall not exclude a family child care home with fewer than three children from voluntary registration.
"Family child care provider applicant" or "provider applicant" or "applicant" means a person at least 18 years of age who has applied for a Certificate of Registration.
"Family child care provider" or "registered family child care provider" or "provider" means a person who has received an initial, renewal or temporary Certificate of Registration issued by a sponsoring organization.
"Family child care sponsoring organization" or "sponsoring organization" means an agency or organization that contracts with the Department of Human Services to assist in the voluntary registration of family child care providers and that complies with all applicable requirements of the Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration.
"Health care provider" means a physician, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant or other health care professional who is licensed or otherwise authorized by the state in which he or she practices to perform the applicable health care services specified in this manual.
"Household member" means an individual at least 14 years of age who resides in the home of a registered family child care provider or applicant for registration.
"Lockdown" means occupants of the home are directed to remain confined to a room or area with specific procedures to follow regarding locking of doors, closing of windows, and shades, seeking cover, etc. This procedure is implemented when a criminal element is believed to be on the premises and officials expect that these measures will minimize the risk of exposure of the occupants to the criminal element.
"Manual of Requirements for Family Child Care Registration" or "Manual of Requirements" means the requirements contained in this chapter (N.J.A.C. 3A:54).
"Monitor" or "monitoring inspection" means to inspect a registered family child care provider to review the provider's compliance with the applicable requirements of the Manual of Requirements.
"Night time care" means child care provided in the evening or overnight between the hours of 8:00 P.M. and 6:00 A.M.
"Office of Licensing" or "Office" means the Office of Licensing in the Department of Children and Families.
"Parent" means a natural, foster or adoptive parent, guardian, or any person with responsibility for, or custody of, a child.
"Provider assistant" means a person at least 14 years of age who has been designated by the provider and approved by the sponsoring organization to assist the provider in caring for children in the home.
"Refusal to renew a Certificate of Registration" or "nonrenewal" means the nonissuance of a Certificate of Registration by the sponsoring organization after the expiration of the existing Certificate of Registration.
"Registration fee" means payment to a sponsoring organization by a provider or applicant upon issuance of a temporary or regular Certificate of Registration.
"Renewal of a Certificate of Registration" means the issuance of a Certificate of Registration by the sponsoring organization after the expiration of the existing Certificate of Registration.
"Revocation of a Certificate of Registration" means a permanent removal of a provider's current Certificate of Registration for failure to comply with the applicable requirements of the Manual of Requirements.
"Reside" means to be in a residence, to dwell permanently or continuously, and to occupy a place as one's legal domicile.
"Should" denotes a recommendation reflecting goals toward which a sponsoring organization or a family child care provider is encouraged to work.
"Shelter-in-place" means occupants in the building seek shelter in the home from an external threat, such as a weather-related situation or chemical spill.
"Staff member" means a person employed by or working for a sponsoring organization on a regularly scheduled basis. This includes full-time, part-time, and voluntary staff, whether paid or unpaid.
"Substitute provider" means a person at least 18 years of age designated by the provider and approved by the sponsoring organization who is readily available to provide child care on a temporary basis in the provider's home when the provider cannot be present. When the substitute provider cares for enrolled children for more than five consecutive days, or more than five days per month, a substitute provider shall meet the qualifications of an alternate provider.
"Supervision" means having awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each child, knowledge of activity requirements, children's needs and accountability for their care. Adequate supervision requires the provider, substitute, provider assistant and/or alternate to be awake and having immediate access to children as needed.
"Supervision" means having awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each child, knowledge of activity requirements, children's needs, and accountability for their care. Adequate supervision requires the provider, substitute provider, provider assistant or alternate provider, if any, to be awake and have immediate access to children as needed.
"Temporary Certificate of Registration" means a document issued by the sponsoring organization to a provider which indicates that the provider is in substantial compliance with the requirements of the Manual of Requirements, provided that no imminent hazard affecting the children exists in the home.
